Artificial arm



Jan. 2, 1951 c. F. BENDER ARTIFICIAL ARM Filed Aug. 16, 1947 FIG. 3 I

INVENTdR. CHARLES E BENDER ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES 3 Claims.

This invention relates to artificial arms for use in cases where the natural arm has been removed at a point above the elbow.

An object of my invention is to provide an artificial member particularly adapted for working purposes which can be bent at the elbow without assistance from the remaining natural arm.

Another object of my invention is to provide an artificial arm which is simple and rugged in construction, efficient in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a back view showing the arm in place.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view showing details of the elbow joint with the arm in adduction.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view showing details of the elbow joint with the arm in adduction.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, an upper arm socket member I! is secured in place on the stump of the upper arm by means of suitable harness I2 which is buckled about the shoulders. A forearm member I3 is hinged to the upper arm member II by means of a hinge pin or elbow bolt [4 which extends from side to side of the joint.

A control arbor I5 is eccentrically mounted on the elbow bolt l4 and is securely locked in place by means of set screw It. One end of an activating control funicle i1 is secured to the control arbor l5, adjacent to a point on the periphery thereof substantially farthest from the elbow bolt M, by means of clamping screws I8 and lock nut H9. The clamping screw l8 also extends through a slot cut in the control arbor I5 to enable the control arbor to fit snugly about elbow bolts of slightly varying size.

The activating funicle I'I extends around the control arbor I5, under the end of a flexible stabilizing bar 2! and out through a hole 22 in the rear of the upper arm member I i. This end of the activating funicle is secured to the shoulder harness l2 by suitable means such as buckle 23.

The stabilizing bar 2!, which is made of spring steel or other suitable material, is securely fastened at one end to the upper arm member II, and is provided with a receptacle or hole 24 to receive a locking pin 25 which is mounted on the control arbor l5.

To move the arm from adduction to abduction, only a slight forward shrug of the shoulder is necessary to start the forearm l3 to swing and this shrug of the shoulder applies tension on the activating funicle I! which quickly lifts the forearm by traction about the eccentrically mounted centrifugal control arbor l5 and by reason of the end secured thereto. The tension on the activating funicle, and hence the position of the forearm I 3, is at all times under the complete control of the wearer. Tension on the funicle I1 lifts the free end of the stabilizing bar 2|, and as the locking pin 25 approaches the receptacle 24 the tension may be slackened suificiently to permit the stabilizing bar to spring downwardly sufficiently to receive the pin 25, whereupon the arm is securely locked in abduction. It is of course obvious that more than one receptacle 24 may be provided in the stabilizing bar, if desired, to receive the pin 25 and lock the forearm in slightly varying positions. Also, it will be obvious that the position of the arm may be varied by adjusting the position on the elbow bolt M by means of set screw l6.

To move the arm from abduction to adduction, again only a slight forward shrug of the shoulder is necessary to apply tension on the activating funicle I'I suflicient to raise the free end of stabilizing bar 2| to clear the end of locking pin 25. The lowering of the forearm I3 is under the complete control of the wearer by means of the tension on funicle I 1.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. An artificial arm comprising an upper arm member, a forearm member joined thereto by a hinge pin, a control arbor eccentrically mounted on said pin, a control funicle having one end secured to said arbor, stabilizing means mounted on said upper arm member, and locking means on said arbor for cooperation with said stabilizing means for locking said arm in abduction, said control funicle being arranged to move said stabilizing means to release said locking means.

2. An artificial arm comprising an upper arm member, a forearm member hinged thereto, a hinge pin extending from side to side of the joint, a control arbor eccentrically mounted on said pin, a flexible stabilizing bar mounted on said upper arm member, locking means secured to said control arbor for cooperation with said bar to lock the arm in abduction, and a control funicle extending partially around said arbor and having one end secured to said arbor for controlling movement of said forearm member, said control funicle being arranged to flex said stabilizing bar to release said locking means.

3. An artificial arm comprising an upper arm member, a forearm member hinged thereto, a hinge pin extending from side to side of the joint, a control arbor eccentrically mounted on said pin, an activating control funicle extending partially around said arbor and having one end secured to said arbor and the other end arranged to be secured to a shoulder harness for controlling movement of said forearm member, and means for locking said forearm in abduction, said control funicle being arranged to actuate said last mentioned means to release the same.

CHARLES F. BENDER.

Number 4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,278,106 Caron Sept. 10, 1918 1,334,834 Blatchford Mar. 23, 1920 1,338,155 Pringle Apr. 27, 1920 10 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 114,653 Great Britain Apr. 10, 1918 297,333 Germany Apr. 14, 191'? 15 321,888 Germany June 15, 1920 

